Deidra Herring, associate professor and education librarian, presents the exhibition “Our Choking Times,” at Thompson Library Feb. 11. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

In 1970, Black students at Ohio State founded Our Choking Times, a publication designed to critique the university’s lack of diversity and provide a platform for marginalized voices. 

More than 50 years later, a new exhibit at Thompson Library explores the student-run newspaper’s impact, showcasing its contributions to activism, cultural expression and community-building. 

Housed in the Ohio State University Archives, Our Choking Times covered racial inequities on campus, from the university’s lack of Black faculty to broader social injustices, according to the Library’s archive website. 

Tracey Overbey, an associate professor in library sociology and co-curator of the exhibit, said beyond activism, the newspaper also provided a space for poetry, cultural criticism and students’ perspectives. The exhibit brings key moments from the publication’s history back into focus, offering visitors a deeper look at the challenges and triumphs of Black student life at Ohio State.

Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Overbey said uncovering Our Choking Times in the archives felt like a rare discovery.

“We dove into the first Black student newspaper at Ohio State,” Overbey said. “It was really wonderful. It was like finding a nice jewel.” 

On display until June 22 on the second floor of Thompson Library, the exhibit presents a selection of archived issues, photographs and historical documents, offering visitors a glimpse into the era that shaped Our Choking Times, Overbey said. Featuring dim lighting and music from notable Black artists of the time — including Michael Jackson and Earth, Wind & Fire — the exhibit’s space immerses guests in the newspaper’s cultural and political significance.

“The exhibit sends a message of accomplishment,” Overbey said. “The paper was [created] during a time when students wanted to see a Black studies department, more Black faculty, and they wanted to see more Black books and [a] Black librarian. From the late ‘60s to the ‘80s is when a lot of accomplishments happened. Students would write to administrators and use the proper channels to get their voices heard. They came together and found a way to bring people together. Now, today, we do have a [Department of African American and African Studies], and we do have Black books.”

Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Judson Jeffries, professor of African American and African Studies, was a keynote speaker at the exhibit’s opening reception Feb. 11, though the exhibit officially opened Feb. 1. He said Our Choking Times holds a great amount of historical significance and highlighted how Ohio State’s history of student activism often goes unrecognized compared to other universities from the ‘60s and ‘70s. 

“You see University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Kent State University and University of Wisconsin,” Jeffries said. “There’s no book, no journal, no article, no documentary [referring to Ohio State’s history].” 

Jeffries also discussed the meaning behind the newspaper’s title, explaining that the name “Our Choking Times” stemmed from “the joke of feeling the strangulation of oppression around your neck.”

“The point is to rid oneself in that yoke of depression so you can breathe, live, prosper,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries said the newspaper was part of a larger power movement for Black people, pushing for more than just civil rights. He also noted the publication served as a way to introduce Black students’ culture to the broader campus community.

“Our Choking Times called for human rights and began a movement for global belief,” Jeffries said. 

Uma Farrow-Harris — a fourth-year in radiologic science and therapy, as well as a University Libraries employee who helps work the exhibit — said in the wake of recent changes to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Ohio State, exhibits like “Our Choking Times” take on even more significance in highlighting the importance of activism and remembering past struggles for justice.

Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor

Farrow-Harris also said visitors often engage with the space in ways that feel deeply connected to the university’s present-day conversations about DEI and student activism. 

“It’s important that history doesn’t repeat itself,” Farrow-Harris said. “Exhibits like these are important because they show that people can act independently. A lot of the challenges we’re facing now are not unprecedented. Fortunately, we have playbooks on what works and what doesn’t.”

In addition to broader themes of activism, Farrow-Harris highlighted a feature of the exhibit called “Where We Go From Here,” which she said invites visitors to engage more personally with the history on display. 

“It’s a nice opportunity to reflect, especially given the beautiful piece of artwork next to it that invites visitors to do self-reflection — if you want to see a different version of yourself to navigate your life differently and make it something that you’re proud of,” Farrow-Harris said. 

Overbey emphasized the positive message she hopes the exhibit conveys. 

“We wanted this exhibit to be inspiring, and that’s exactly what it is,” Overbey said. “As James Brown said, ‘I’m Black and I’m Proud.’ The students are proud of who they are, their heritage and their connection to Africa and Indigenous Americans. You see that pride reflected in their writing. This exhibit showcases growth and puts Black students in a positive light, highlighting their great journalism work. I hope the community comes out to see it — it’s something truly positive.”

For more details about the exhibit, visit the Ohio State Libraries webpage.